The ache inside me, the pain of leaving them swelled up to fill my chest. “Lyon, it’s not going to change anything. I would never forgive myself if one of you got hurt at all, and Mark loves hurting people. I need to leave.”
But I didn’t stop him from walking me inside and to his room. He settled me in the chair in the corner and went into his closet, emerging with a duffle bag. As I watched in confusion, he opened his dresser drawer and lifted out a stack of folded undershorts. “Lyon, what are you doing?”
“If you insist on leaving, you can’t think we’d let you go alone, do you? I’ll go with you now and the others can join us when we know where we’re going.” He added socks and T-shirts and jeans. “I do need to let them know before we leave, but they’ll need to stay behind and sell the house and everything.”
“What do you mean? The whole purpose of my going is to keep Mark and his goons from killing you. If you are with me, that just negates my whole plan.”
Closing the bottom drawer, he sat on the floor at my feet. This huge, gorgeous, quiet bear leaned against my legs and sighed. “Then maybe it’s not the plan you want to implement.”
Tears blurred my vision, and I dropped my head into my hands. “Then what do I do?”
“You stay here with us because as much as it may sound like a solution, running away is almost never the answer. We won’t let you go without us because we can’t live without our mate. It’s a half-life at best.”
“But you would be alive.”
“Provided your ex believes we don’t know where you are. Otherwise, we’d have to deal with it anyway. Isabella, omega mine, we’ll fix this. I promise. But it will take time and care, okay?”
Sniffling, I nodded.
“So, why don’t you go back to bed and try and get some rest. In the morning, we’ll all four talk it out. We’d give our lives for you.”
“But I don’t want you to,” I wailed. “I’d never forgive myself, and I’d miss you every minute of every day.”
“So you do understand how mating works.” He stood up and reached for me. “You need to sleep.”
“Can I stay here?” I held back, remaining seated.
“Yes. Of course. You climb in bed and I’ll—”
“I mean, can I stay here in bed with you and…oh hell.” I jumped up and grabbed his hand, marched over to the bed, and let go to shrug my robe off. “I mean…Lyon, would you make love to me tonight? Mate me? Mark me?”
“Omega, you’re upset. Maybe this isn’t the time.”
“I’m going to be a lot more upset if you reject me.” Stomping my foot, I pulled my sleep tee over my head and stood in front of him. I sounded a lot more secure and confident than I felt, butI never doubted I wanted him. And if I wasn’t going to leave, I might as well do what I yearned to.
My mate of few words didn’t ask any more questions. He pulled off his jeans and white T-shirt, took me into his arms, and showed me how lovemaking with a quiet mate could be incredible.
I slept in his arms, all three marks on my neck and a feeling of strength echoing from inside me. The moment he’d sunk his teeth into my throat, it all fell into place. Mated to all three bears solidified something. We were one now. The three bears I’d dreamed of were mine and I was theirs. And together, we could take on the world.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Cashel
I’d been in town all morning, picking up supplies. Groceries, mostly, but I also made a side quest of getting our omega some soft things for her nest. She had enough, she said, but I didn’t know any omega who wouldn’t like more cute things for her nest and certainly one who didn’t like surprise gifts.
Done shopping, I was picking up some burgers for all of us when a stroke of fear and danger cut through my consciousness. My bear felt something through the bond.
Mate. Fear. Hurt. Help. Cries. Danger. Go. Go to her, now!
The food was paid for, but I abandoned the place to go home. My bear wasn’t wrong about things. He knew when his mate was hurting. Our bond was solid. I called Lyon and York frantically, hoping one of them would pick up and tell me everything was okay.
That my bearwaswrong.
Something had sparked in the bond that told him Isabella was in danger.
Please, Goddess, let it be a mistake.
I broke every traffic law getting home and, when I arrived, I knew my bear wasn’t wrong. Her scent was so strong when we were around, but the honey and vanilla were faint. Like the wind had swept her scent away.
